1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for estimating the remaining life span of an X-ray radiator that has been installed in an X-ray apparatus and is operational.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An X-ray apparatus—in the context of the present invention, any type of X-ray apparatus for producing an X-ray image or an X-ray image dataset or for therapeutic irradiation, but also an X-ray computed tomography system—includes an X-ray radiator. If it fails, the X-ray system can no longer be operated, and the X-ray radiator must be replaced. This can lead to undesirable downtime, particularly in the event of an unexpected failure. It is therefore desirable to detect a potential failure of the X-ray radiator in time to be able to plan the replacement of the X-ray radiator accordingly, particularly in order to be able to schedule the replacement at times during which the X-ray apparatus is not in use. Failure of the X-ray radiator during an examination of a patient with the X-ray apparatus is to be avoided, if only for reasons of radiation safety.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,212,256 and 6,453,009 describe methods by means of which a fault in an X-ray tube can be detected early by statistical techniques. Several operating parameters of an operational X-ray tube are monitored, and the monitored operating parameters are compared to prescribed reference values that have been defined based on an analysis of a set of comparable X-ray tubes. If it is determined by the comparison that the X-ray tube is likely to fail in a short time, an alarm signal is generated or an X-ray tube replacement is automatically planned.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,997 describes an X-ray tube with a thermal radiator and an alarm device that emits an alarm signal given an imminent failure of the thermal radiator based on at least one parameter of the thermal radiator that is measured and analyzed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,540 describes a method for the remote diagnosis and remote configuration of an active medical device.
It is customary today to replace the X-ray radiator only after it fails. This can lead to unwanted unavailability of the X-ray apparatus. Furthermore, because service calls usually have to be planned, sudden failure of the X-ray radiator leads to relatively long downtimes.